Article handling and cleaning apparatus



INVEN'TORS Howard 5. Best Robert E. Bowser ATTORNEY A ril 2, 19-68 .H. s. BEST ETAL ARTICLE HANDLING AND CLEANING APPARATUS Filed March 19, 1965- FIG.Z

United States Patent 3,375,834 ARTICLE HANDLING AND CLEANING APPARATUS Howard S. Best and Robert E. Bowser, Raleigh, N.C.,

assignors to Corning Glass Works, Corning, N.Y., a

corporation of New York Filed Mar. 19, 1965, Ser. No. 441,277 5 Claims. (Cl. 134-94) This invention relates to an article handling and cleaning apparatus and more particularly to a tray for handling and cleaning semiconductor devices, but is in no way limited thereto.

, This invention applies to small articles generally, but for the purposes of simplicity it will be described in connection with transistor chips.

It is an object of this invention to provide a tray for handling and cleaning semiconductor devices whereby a device may be cleaned and turned over without loss of device orientation or position reference.

Broadly, according to this invention an apparatus for handling articles comprises first and second blocks. The first block has an article receiving cavity in one surface, a first opening in the surface opposite said one surface in register with said cavity, and at least one aperture connecting said cavity and said first opening. The article receiving cavity defining walls are sloped towards the bottom surface thereof. The bottom surface is of a size and shape to accommodate said article. The second block has a surface to mate with said one surface of the first block and has in said mating surface a second cavity, the defining walls of which are adapted to closely surround a portion of said article. The second block also has a second opening in the surface opposite said mating surface in register with said second cavity, and has at least one aperture connecting said second cavity and said second opening. When the first and second blocks are assembled, the article receiving cavity opposes the second cavity to form a chamber to accommodate said article therewithin.

Additional objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and the attached drawing on which, by way of example, only the preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated.

FIGURE 1 is an oblique sectional view of the article receiving portion of the apparatus of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a cross sectional view of the apparatus of this invention.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the lower or article receiving block is illustrated. In surface 12 of block 10 an article receiving cavity 14 is formed having sloped cavity defining walls 16. Walls 16 are sloped towards the bottom surface of cavity 14. An opening 18 is formed in the surface opposite surface 12 in register with cavity 14. A plurality of apertures 20 connect cavity 14 and opening 18.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, cover block 22 is shown assembled with block 10. Cover block 22 has surface 24 to mate with surface 12 of block 10. Surface 24 has cavity 26 formed therein of a size and shape to closely surround a portion of article 28. When blocks 10 and 22 are assembled cavity 14 opposes cavity 26 to accommodate article 28 therewithin. An opening 30 is formed in the surface opposite surface 24 in register with cavity 26. A plurality of apertures 32 connect cavity 26 and opening 30. Blocks 10 and 22 are maintained in the described mating relationship by any means well known in the art, such for example, as clamp 34.

When the described apparatus is utilized for handling and cleaning transistor chips, cavity 26 is formed having a clearance around the transistor chip. clearance is of about 0.003 to 0.004 inch.

In operation a transistor chip may be placed in the article receiving cavity of the first lower block and oriented in a desired position. To maintain the chip in this position, vacuum may be applied to the opening opposite said cavity. The cover block is then placed in mating relationship with the first block andthe two blocks are clamped together.

When it is desired to cleanse the transistor chip the vacuum is disconnected and a suitable source of cleaning solution, such for example as acetone, xylene, or the like, is connected to the outer opening of one block. Such cleaning solution passes around the transistor chip and flows out through the outer opening in the opposing block. The outer opening in said opposing block may be connected to a suitable collection means for recirculation or salvage of the solution. Thereafter, air, nitrogen or some other drying medium may be flowed in the same manner as the cleaning solution to dry the chip.

Vacuum may be applied again to maintain the chip in place when the apparatus is further handled or when the cover block is removed. Additional operations may be performed upon the transistor chip when the cover block is removed and vacuum is applied.

It is readily seen by one familiar with the art that, when desired, the vacuum holding, cleaning, and drying operations may also be performed in reverse by making suitable connections to the cover block. Likewise, the transistor chip may be held by vacuum in one block while some operations are performed and then held by vacuum in the other block for further operations. When the blocks are mated between such operations and the vacuum changed from one block to another, the chip may be thusly turned over without loss or orientation or position reference.

Although the present invention has been described with respect to specific details of certain embodiments thereof, it is not intended that such details 'be limitations upon the scope of the invention except insofar as set forth in the following claims.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for handling articles comprising a first block having an article receiving cavity in one surface thereof, a first opening in the surface opposite said one surface in register with said cavity, and at least one aperture connecting said article receiving cavity and said first opening, the article receiving cavity defining walls being sloped towards the bottom surface of said cavity, said bottom surface having a size and shape corresponding to that of said article to accommodate said article thereon, and a second block having a mating surface to said one surface, said mating surface having a second cavity the defining walls of which are adapted to closely surround said article, a second opening in the surface opposite said mating surface in register with said second cavity, and at least one aperture connecting said second cavity and said second opening, said article receiving cavity opposing said second cavity to closely accommodate said article therewithin while maintaining a small clearance thereabout when said first and second blocks are assembled whereby said article orientation and position reference is maintained.

2. An apparatus for handling articles comprising a first block having an article receiving cavity in one surface thereof, the article receiving cavity defining walls being sloped towards the bottom surface of said cavity, said bottom surface having a size and shape corresponding to that of said article to accommodate said article thereon, a second block having a mating surface to said one surface, said mating surface having a second cavity the defining walls of which are adapted to closely surround said The preferred article, said article receiving cavity opposing said second cavity to closely accommodate said article therebetween while maintaining a small clearance thereabout when said first and second blocks are assembled whereby said article orientation and position reference is maintained, and means for flowing a fluid medium to and from said opposing cavities.

3. An apparatus for handling articles comprising a first block havingan article receiving cavity in one surface thereof, the bottom surface of said cavity having a size and shape corresponding to that of said article to accommodate said article thereon, a second block having a mating surface to said one surface, said mating surface having a second cavity the defining walls of which are adapted to closely surround said article, said article receiving cavity opposing said second cavity to closely accommodate said article therebetween while maintaining a small clearance thereabout when said first and second blocks are assembled whereby said article orientation and position reference is maintained, and means for flowing a fluid medium to and from said opposing cavities.

4. An apparatus for cleaning and handling transistor chips comprising a first block having a transistor chip receiving cavity in one surface thereof, said cavity defining walls being sloped towards the bottom surface of said cavity, said bottom surface having a size and shape corresponding to that of said transistor chip to accommodate such chip thereon, a second block having a mating surface to said one surface, said mating surface having a second cavity the defining walls of which are adapted to closely surround said transistor chip, said chip receiving cavity opposing said second cavity to closely accommodate said chip therebetween while maintaining a small clearance thereabout when said first and second blocks are assembled whereby said chip orientation and position reference is maintained, and means for flowing a fluid medium to and from said opposing cavities whereby said transistor chip may be cleansed.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said clearance is about 0.004 inch.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,139,098 6/1964 Hungerford et al. 134-145 2,601,364 6/1952 Byrnes 13415l 3,115,146 12/1963 Erwin 134137 3,027,752 4/1962 Parnell 134-166 X 3,186,540 6/1965 Breger 134-155 X CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT L. BLEUTGE, Examiner. 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR HANDLING ARTICLES COMPRISING A FIRST BLOCK HAVING AN ARTICLE RECEIVING CAVITY IN ONE SURFACE THEREOF, A FIRST OPENING IN THE SURFACE OPPOSITE SAID ONE SURFACE IN REGISTER WITH SAID CAVITY, AND AT LEAST ONE APERTURE CONNECTING SAID ARTICLE RECEIVING CAVITY AND SAID FIRST OPENING, THE ARTICLE RECEIVING CAVITY DEFINING WALLS BEING SLOPED TOWARDS THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF SAID CAVITY, SAID BOTTOM SURFACE HAVING A SIZE AND SHAPE CORRESPONDING TO THAT OF SAID ARTICLE TO ACCOMMODATE SAID ARTICLE THEREON, AND A SECOND BLOCK HAVING A MATING SURFACE TO SAID ONE SURFACE, SAID MATING SURFACE HAVING A SECOND CAVITY THE DEFINING WALLS OF WHICH ARE ADAPTED TO CLOSELY SURROUND SAID ARTICLE, A SECOND OPENING IN THE SURFACE OPPOSITE SAID MATING SURFACE IN REGISTER WITH SAID SECOND CAVITY, AND AT LEAST ONE APERTURE CONNECTING SAID SECOND CAVITY AND SAID SECOND OPENING, SAID ARTICLE RECEIVING CAVITY OPPOSING SAID 